zen in the matrix

I don't mean metaphors in a movie made several years ago, but the online component of zen practice.

Here lately I've found that I participate in Treeleaf Zendo more than in my local dojo. The local dojo group only meets three times weekly, but Treeleaf is always there, with a teacher providing opportunities for daily zazen practice with all the bells & whistles of soto zen practiced in a physical zendo.

There are technical difficulties, like being disconnected from a webcam streaming service, which I've found to be fairly minor hurdles.

But practicing and learning with people in many time zones and cultures has become an increasingly meaningful part of my daily routine. My practice has improved in a few overt ways as a direct result.

I've begun to think of Treeleaf as "my group" in pretty much the same basic way that I think of my local group of practitioners.